Device for safely catching child falling from bed

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed adapted to be retained by a conventional mattress/foundation combination and deployed therefrom. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed may include a retention member adapted to be disposed between a mattress and a foundation. A rectangular support frame may be deployed from the retention member, and at least one stand may be extended downward from the support frame to contact a supporting surface to maintain the support frame generally level, adjacent to the mattress. The support frame may slide from the retention member or the support frame may pivot from the retention member against the mattress and/or foundation and/or under the bed. A child may be supported adjacent to the mattress, on a resilient support extending across the rectangular support frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to bed-attachable devices for safely receiving a child falling off a bed.

2. Description of the Related Art

Devices for retaining a child on a conventional adult bed or the like are known and include so-called baby bumpers and bedrails. Baby bumpers are typically one or more pieces of elongated foam or other material that are laid near the periphery of an adult bed to prevent a child from accidentally falling off. Although baby bumpers usually are effective, they take up space on the bed and make it difficult to reach the child. Furthermore, some older children may be able to climb or topple over bed bumpers. Bedrails are an alternative and act as a more rigid barrier. Such bedrails may have an L-shaped frame. The lower, horizontal portion of the frame may be captured between a bed's mattress and mattress foundation to hold the bedrail in place along an edge of the bed. As with bumpers, bedrails make it more difficult to reach the child such as to change a baby's diaper. Additionally, and importantly, bedrails are not intended for children under two years of age. In recent years, more than a dozen deaths by asphyxiation or strangulation have occurred with bedrails. While most of the fatal injuries involved children under two years of age, notably some did not, and non-fatal injuries have been reported up to five years of age.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the disclosure relates to a device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed. The device includes a retention member adapted to be disposed between a bed mattress and a mattress foundation. A support frame may be deployable from the retention member. Rails of the retention frame and the support frame may be generally rectangular tube in some embodiments. A resilient child support may extend across the rectangular support frame for receiving and supporting a child adjacent to the mattress. In accordance with various embodiments, the resilient child support may include netting extending across the support frame, and a cushion, or the like may be supported on the netting. Child-retaining rails may be indexed with side rails of the support frame in various embodiments. At least one extensible stand may extend downward from the support frame to contact a supporting surface and maintain the support frame generally level. The extensible stand(s) may be pivoted to extend downward from the support frame in various embodiments. In some embodiments, this extensible stand(s) may include sockets pivoted to extend downward from the support frame and base(s) selectively inserted into the sockets to extend downwardly from the sockets to contact the supporting surface and maintain the support frame generally level. The bases may, in accordance with various embodiments, index with the sockets to lock the base(s) at a length that maintains the support frame generally level.

In various embodiments, the retention member may be an open-sided, generally rectangular retention frame and the support frame may be slideably disposed in the retention frame, selectively extending from the retention frame. In such embodiments, frame slides, such as ball bearing full extension slides, may be disposed between the retention frame and the support frame to slideably mount the support frame to the retention frame for sliding the support frame into and out of the retention frame through the open side of the retention frame.

In various other embodiments, the support frame may be pivoted to the retention member. For example, at least one strut may extend from the retention member to the support frame, and the strut(s) may be pivoted to the retention member at one end and pivoted to the support frame at another. In such embodiments, the strut(s) may pivot at the support frame, such that the support frame pivots to rest against the mattress. In some embodiments the support frame and struts may include roller bearings on an outer surface allowing them to be slid into tracks disposed on inner surfaces of the retention member disposed between the mattress and foundation. In still other embodiments, the device does not include the retention member and does not fold up in this manner.

In operation, the retention member can be disposed between a bed mattress and a mattress foundation. The support frame is deployed from the retention member, such as by sliding the rectangular support frame from an open side of a generally rectangular retention frame making-up the retention member in some embodiments. While in other embodiments, the support frame is pivoted from against the mattress and/or foundation, about an end of the strut(s) extending from the support frame to the retention frame, and/or the support frame is pivoted from under the bed, about at least one end of the strut(s). Regardless, the stands are extended downward from the support frame to contact a supporting surface and maintain the support frame generally level, adjacent to the mattress and a child is supported adjacent to the mattress, on the resilient support extending across the rectangular support frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed, retained by a conventional mattress/foundation combination and deployed therefrom, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed, retained by a conventional mattress/foundation combination and retracted to between the mattress and foundation, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a cutaway view of an example of the device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed, showing an example resilient child support extending across an example support frame, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of an example junction of an example retention frame, an example support frame and an example slide, and example support netting in the example support frame, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an end view of an example device for receiving a falling child off the edge of a bed, showing a deployed support stand, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 7 illustrates a second example of a device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 8 illustrates a roller bearing mechanism for the device of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 illustrates the device of FIG. 7 in a folded position; and

FIG. 10 illustrates a third example of a device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed, according to one embodiment

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an example of a device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 100, retained by a conventional mattress/foundation combination 101 and deployed therefrom, is illustrated according to one embodiment. As shown, the device 100 includes a retention member 102, which is adapted to be disposed between a bed mattress 103 and a mattress foundation 104. A support frame 105 is shown deployed from the retention member 102. In the illustrated embodiment 100, slides 106 and 107 are each disposed between the retention member 102 and the support frame 105, slideably mounting support frame 105 to retention member 102. Slides 106 and 107 may be ball bearing full extension slides, or the like. Resilient support 109 extends across rectangular support frame 105 for receiving and supporting a child adjacent to mattress 103. One or more extensible legs, such as illustrated extensible stand 110, may extend downward from support frame 105 to contact a supporting surface, such as a floor. These legs or stand 110 maintain support frame 105 and resilient child support 108 generally level with respect to the mattress, (immediately) adjacent to mattress 103, in accordance with such embodiments. Illustrated stand 110 may include a pair of stand sockets 111 and 112, which may be pivoted to support frame 105 to extend downward from support frame 105, when device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 100 is deployed. Illustrated stand 110 also includes U-shaped base 113 selectively inserted into sockets 111 and 112 to extend downwardly from sockets 111 and 112 to contact the aforementioned supporting surface and maintain support frame 105 generally level with respect to the mattress, adjacent thereto. Illustrated stand base 113, legs or the like may index with sockets 111 and 112 to lock extensible stand base 113 or legs at a length that maintains support frame 105 generally level with respect to mattress 103. Such lock indexing may be provided by pin(s) 114, indexed with corresponding holes 115 defined in vertical legs of stand base 113 and in leg sockets 111 and 112. Pull handle 116 is shown formed or secured on an outside rail of support frame 105 in this illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates example device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 100, retained by conventional mattress/foundation combination 101, retracted to between the mattress 103 and foundation 104, according to one embodiment. Pull handle 116 can be seen on the outside rail of support frame 105, and ends of retention member 102 can also be seen captured between mattress 103 and foundation 104, with slides 106 and 107 disposed between retention member 102 and support frame 105.

FIG. 3 illustrates example device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 100, according to one embodiment, free of a mattress/foundation combination. According to this embodiment, the retention member is an open-sided generally rectangular retention frame 301, shown as comprised of tubular rails, or the like, having a generally rectangular cross-section. Rectangular support frame 105 is shown disposed in retention frame 301. However, support frame 105 is preferably slideably disposed in retention frame 301, selectively extending from and retracting into retention frame 301. Frame slides 106 and 107 are disposed between retention frame 301 and support frame 105, slideably mounting support frame 105 to retention frame 301 for sliding support frame 105 into and out of retention frame 301 through the open side of retention frame 301. Slides 106 and 107 may be ball bearing full extension slides, or the like. When example extension child bed 100 is deployed, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, support frame 105, and thus resilient child support 109, may be slid out from under mattress 103 using pull handle 116 and pushed back under mattress 103 by pushing on the outside rail of support frame 105 and/or pull handle 116.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cutaway view of an example device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 100, showing example resilient child support 109 extending across example support frame 105, according to one embodiment. Resilient child support 109 is shown in FIG. 4 as including netting 401 extending across support frame 105 and held in place by clips 402 indexing with grommeted holes 403 along an edge of netting 401. Netting 401 is preferably constructed of a resilient material such as nylon, polyester, polypropylene or the like.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of an example junction of example retention frame 301, example support frame 105 and example slide 107, and example support netting 401 in example support frame 105, according to one embodiment. Therein, frame slide 107, such as a ball bearing full extension slide, can be clearly seen disposed between a side rail of retention frame 301 and a side rail of support frame 105. Thereby, illustrated support frame 105 is slideably mounted to retention frame 301, for sliding support frame 105 into and out of retention frame 301, through the open side of retention frame 301, as discussed above. Also, in FIG. 5 clips 402 can be more clearly seen indexing with grommeted holes 403 along edges of netting 401, at a corner of netting 401.

FIG. 6 is an end view of example device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 100, showing deployed support stand 110, according to one embodiment. As noted above, illustrated extensible stand 110, may extend downward from support frame 105 to contact a supporting surface, such as a floor. In accordance with such embodiments, these legs or stand 110 maintain support frame 105 and resilient child support 109 generally level with respect to a mattress, (immediately) adjacent to the mattress. Illustrated stand 110 may include a pair of stand sockets 111 and 112, which may be pivoted to support frame 105 to extend downward from support frame 105, when the device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 100 is deployed. Illustrated stand 110 also includes U-shaped base 113 selectively inserted into sockets 111 and 112 to extend downwardly from sockets 111 and 112 to contact the aforementioned supporting surface and maintain support frame 105 generally level with respect to the mattress, adjacent thereto, as discussed above. Illustrated stand 110, extensible legs, or the like may index with leg sockets 111 and/or 112 to lock extensible stand or legs 113 at a length that maintains support frame 105 generally level with respect to mattress 103. Such lock indexing may be provided by pins 114 indexed with corresponding holes 115 defined in vertical legs of stand base 113 and in leg sockets 111 and 112. Frame slides 106 and 107 disposed between retention frame 301 and support frame 105, slideably mounting support frame 105 to retention frame 301, can be seen in FIG. 6 as well.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a second embodiment of a device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 700. In this embodiment, the surface area of the bed 101 is extended and a child who topples off the edge of the bed is safely caught. In addition, the device 700 provides a child a separate resting area that can be used by the child to rest or as a baby changing station, for example. The device 700 includes retention member 702, which is adapted to be disposed between bed mattress 103 and mattress foundation 104. Support frame 705 is shown deployed from retention member 702. In the illustrated embodiment 700, support frame 705 is pivoted to retention member 702, such as via strut(s) 706 extending from retention member 702 to support frame 705, pivoted to retention member 702 at end 707 and pivoted to support frame at end 708. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, strut(s) 706 may pivot at support frame 705 to allow support frame 705 to pivot down against a lateral side of mattress 103, as shown. Resilient support 709 extends across rectangular support frame 705 for receiving and supporting a child adjacent to mattress 103. As illustrated in FIG. 7, one or more extensible stands or legs 710, may extend downward from support frame 705 to contact a supporting surface, such as a floor. Legs 710 maintain support frame 705 and resilient child support 709 generally level with mattress 103 and (immediately) adjacent to mattress 103, in accordance with such embodiments. As illustrated in FIG. 7, struts 706 may operate in conjunction with stands 710 to elevate child support surface 709 to also be generally the same height as the top surface of mattress 103. Stand mechanisms 710 illustrated in FIG. 7 includes two pairs of stand or leg sockets 711 and 712, which may not need to be pivoted to support frame 705 for stowage of device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 700 under bed 101, but which may be pivoted to support frame 705 in some embodiments. Illustrated stands 710 each also includes U-shaped bases 713, each selectively inserted into paired sockets 711 and 712 to extend downwardly from paired sockets 711 and 712 to contact the aforementioned supporting surface and maintain support frame 705 generally level with respect to the mattress, adjacent thereto, and at the height thereof. Illustrated stand bases 713 may index with leg sockets 711 and 712 to lock extensible stand bases 713 at a length that maintains support frame 705 generally level with respect to mattress 103 and resilient child support 709 at the height of the top of mattress 103. Such indexing lock may be provided by pins 714 indexed with corresponding holes 715 defined in leg bases 713 and in leg sockets 711 and 712. As shown in FIG. 7, embodiments of the present device for receiving a falling child 100 and/or 700 may employ child retaining rails 716 adapted to index with sides of support frame 705 (or 105), such as through the use of illustrated pegs 717 and holes 718.

FIG. 8 shows the device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 700 in a folded position. As shown, the support frame 705 and the struts 706 (which are attached via hinges 722) slide into inner sides of the retention member 702. As shown, a set a rollers 725 are disposed on lateral sides of the support frame 705. FIG. 9 shows that the rollers 725 are engaged with a track 720. When the device is deployed, the user pulls out the support frame 705 and the struts 706, attached together by the hinges 712, and places the device 700 in the position as shown in FIG. 7. It is to be understood that the struts 706 would not be allowed to be fully removed from the retention member 702, and there would be a stop mechanism (not shown) for this purpose that would also allow the strut 706 to pivot to allow vertical disposition (disposed against a lateral side of the mattress 103). It is to be further understood that the use of the rollers 725 in the illustrated embodiment is not meant to be limiting, and that other such bearings, such as ball bearings, could alternatively be employed.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a third embodiment of a device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 800. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed 800 is substantially the same as the device 700 except that the retention member 702 is not used. Instead, the struts 706 are pivotally attached to a bar 716 disposed between the struts 706, as shown, and a retaining portion (not shown) attached to the bar 716 is placed between the mattress 103 and the foundation 104 to hold the device in place. The retaining portion could be a flat piece about the width of the bar 716 and extending between the mattress 103 and the foundation 104 to provide adequate support.

While this invention has been described in conjunction with the various exemplary embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed comprising: a retention member adapted to be disposed between a bed mattress and a mattress foundation; a support frame deployable from the retention member; a resilient child support extending across the support frame for receiving and supporting a child adjacent to the mattress; at least one extensible stand extending downward from the support frame to contact a supporting surface and maintain the support frame generally level; and frame slides disposed between the retention frame and the support frame, slideably mounting the support frame to the retention frame for sliding the support frame into and out of the retention frame through the open side of the retention frame; wherein the slides include bearings to facilitate the sliding.
 2. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 1 wherein the retention member is an open-sided generally rectangular retention frame.
 3. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 2, wherein the support frame is slideably disposed in the retention frame, selectively extending from the retention frame.
 4. (canceled)
 5. (canceled)
 6. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 1, wherein the at least one extensible stand is pivoted to extend downward from the support frame.
 7. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 1, wherein the support frame is pivoted to the retention member.
 8. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 1, further comprising at least one strut extending from the retention member to the support frame.
 9. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 8, wherein the at least one strut is pivoted to the retention member at one end and pivoted to the support frame at another.
 10. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 8, wherein the strut pivots at the support frame and the support frame pivots against the mattress and/or foundation.
 11. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 8, wherein the strut pivots at the retention member and the support frame pivots under the mattress and/or foundation.
 12. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 1, wherein the at least one extensible stand comprises a plurality of sockets pivoted to extend downward from the support frame and at least one base selectively inserted into the sockets to extend downwardly from the sockets to contact the supporting surface and maintain the support frame generally level.
 13. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 12, wherein the at least one base indexes with the sockets to lock the at least one base at a length that maintains the support frame generally level.
 14. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 1, wherein rails of the retention frame and the support frame comprise generally rectangular tube.
 15. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 1, wherein the resilient child support comprises netting extending across the support frame.
 16. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 15, wherein the resilient child support comprises a childbed mattress supported on the netting.
 17. The device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed of claim 1, further comprising child-retaining rails adapted to index with sides of the support frame.
 18. (canceled)
 19. (canceled)
 20. (canceled)
 21. A device for safely receiving a child falling off a bed comprising: a retention member adapted to be disposed between a bed mattress and a mattress foundation; a support frame deployable from the retention member; a resilient child support extending across the rectangular support frame for receiving and supporting a child adjacent to the mattress; at least one extensible stand extending downward from the support frame to contact a supporting surface and maintain the support frame generally level; and at least one strut extending from the retention member to the support frame, wherein the at least one strut is pivoted to the retention member at one end and pivoted to the support frame at another. 